Saul Consults a Medium^(A)

³ Now ^(B)Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in ^(C)Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put ^(D)the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.

⁴ Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at ^(E)Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at ^(F)Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was ^(G)afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the Lord, ^(H)the Lord did not answer him, either by ^(I)dreams or ^(J)by Urim or by the prophets.

⁷ Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, ^(K)that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”

⁸ So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And ^(L)he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”

⁹ Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has ^(M)cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

¹⁰ And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

¹¹ Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”

¹³ And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?”

And the woman said to Saul, “I saw ^(N)a^[a] spirit ascending out of the earth.”

¹⁴ So he said to her, “What is his form?”

And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with ^(O)a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.

¹⁵ Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you ^(P)disturbed me by bringing me up?”

And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and ^(Q)God has departed from me and ^(R)does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”